Last Legs

 

Friday 19th. September.

Another grey misty morning sees us making a leisurely exit from Broad Cut on the last few miles of our epic voyage. It's strange cruising under the M1 after so often driving over the top!

Sandal Castle appears, through the mist, on the right and we lock down onto the River Calder once more.

Entering  Wakefield we are treated to a very different view of the city.

 

Through the flood lock near the Hepworth, past the new Waterfront developments, Ruddy Duck & up to Fall Ings, our very last lock! 

 

 Sadly this lock, which was always hard to operate, has not improved over the past 7 years, bit like me really!

The final couple of miles, around the back of Heath & Eastmoor, slip past. The boat likes rivers, plenty of water, & really kicks on.

 

 

 

So that's it, Stanley Ferry aqueduct, built after the style of Sydney harbour bridge, comes into view & we've arrived!

 

 

 

Hope you've enjoyed the trip, probably a little more than we did!  It was relentless, hard work & often frustrating but .....    WE DID IT!!!

Navigation bound

 

Thursday 18th. September.

 

It's out of Brighouse Basin, on a grey & murky morning & into the land of the ubiquitous 'Handspike'  a fiendish device, like a baseball bat, used to operate the unique Calder & Hebble  lock gear.

 

We pass the entrance to the Huddersfield Broad canal at Cooper Bridge and

 

 

continue through Battyford to Mirfield, stopping for lunch & a quick trip to the CO_OP.

 

Shepley Bridge is rather pretty and takes us down onto the river through Dewsbury then in & out of cuts to

 

 

Horbury Bridge & Calder Grove where we moor up for our last overnight stop at the Navigation. An old friend joins us for a cuppa & I fetch fish & chip for supper!

 

 

In search of the brass band.

Wednesday 17th.September.

Another bright day. It's beginning to feel familiar around here even though it's been nearly 9 years since we boated here.

 

At the Halifax arm we stop for water in Salterhebble Basin where we dog-leg through 3 locks, the lower one having an electric guillotine gate.

 

Through Elland next, then we attempt to stop for lunch at the Colliers Arms but sadly it seems to have closed down. So we take advantage of their benches & the sunshine & eat our own sarnies!

 

By 2:30  we arrive in Brighouse Basin. It's market day so we have a wander around although, in common with most small towns, the stalls are dwindling.

Back at the mooring I annoy some kids who are chillin' after school & chat to some of the residential boaters.

 

 

Into the depths

 

Tuesday 16th.September.

Must say we found Hebden Bridge a little disappointing, OK for day trippers, all tea shops & kitsch knick-knacks, but obviously no-none stays for the evening as at least 3 restaurants have closed down.

 Really can't believe how fortunate we've been with the weather since we left over 2 weeks ago. Haven't had any rain  and only a little early, misty drizzle on a couple of mornings, amazing!  Today is a bright sunny day as we wave farewell to Heb & move off towards Sowerby Bridge.



We've booked passage through Tuel Lane lock, the deepest on the system at 20', for 3 pm so set off in good time. We're encountering  a few more boats now, mostly down to the Shire hire fleet and soon meet up with a single handed lad who we can share locks with. This saves a bit of time & effort & we arrive at Tuel at 1:30. Fortunately there's a slot, with our new companion at 2pm, so we sit in the sun till our turn.

 

 

Three locks brings us into the basin & we moor before 3pm. Pete gets the rods out again & I walk into the town, find a Belgian chocolate shop and book

 

 our belated Anniversary meal at the 'Moorings'.

 

We scrub up & enjoy a fab meal in the converted warehouse, would recommend to anyone.

 

 



Old age travellers to Hebden.

 

Monday 15th.September.

 

Wake up to a rather grey & drizzly day in Tod, although not exactly wet.

 

 It's a fairly short day with 10 locks. The water levels are better and there are a few more boats about, which is nice.

 

The sun comes out as we pass Stubbings Wharf

 

& arrive in the one time hippy town of Hebden Bridge and we walk into town for shopping, a coffee & to check out the restaurants. Item 3 proves disappointing so it's rain-check again.

 

This is a Fustian needle, used in the manufacture of corduroy.

 

I notice that in the park by our mooring there's a skate park, so as Pete tries to outwit some fish, I set out with the camera for some action shots, I always find kids most co-operative if not treated like aliens!

 

 

 

 



All downhill from here!

 

Sunday 14thSeptember.

It's our 35th.Wedding Anniversary today!

Not for us a relaxing lie-in or breakfast in bed surrounded by cards & gifts.

Oh No!  It's a 9am start on the descent towards home.

 

There's some pretty impressive scenery although it's a bit misty.

 

 

 

Can't beat the peace & quiet of the countryside!

 

We make some new friends in Gauxholme,

 

where, it appears, all the local children seem to be on a Sunday hike {here passing under the imposing railway bridge}

 

 

 

At 4pm, after 15 locks, we tie up for the night at Todmorden &  decide

to delay our Anniversary meal out till Hebden Bridge.

 

 



Summit up

 

Saturday 13th.September.

 Littleborough seems to harbour a closet llama herd ...  and rather inhospitable car parking arrangements!

 

 

Water is still in short supply, this is what the bottom of a canal looks like, it's not easy to move a 20 ton boat through that!

 

 

 

Climbing steadily into the Pennines, the countryside opens out {hawk hovering beneath the pylons}

 

 

 

& by mid afternoon we finally reach the summit pound & arrive in Yorkshire at lock 35.

Rochdale cowboys.

 

Friday 12th. September.

 

 

Bit overcast as we wave Slattocks farewell & chug towards Rochdale, again not a place to linger. The canal is still pretty shallow, dirty and the lock gear is in poor condition.
First we're greeted by the smell of bacon sarnies at one town lock, then the aroma of curry engulfs us at the next.... all most unfair!

 

 

 

After the dark, satanic & mostly derelict mills disappear behind us we get a glimpse of the moors & the feint hope that the dirty city is to be replaced by some Pennine vistas.

 

Clegg Hall, fronted by weavers' cottages. The multiple top floor windows are in the rooms where the looms were operated.

 

After a few more locks & 2 swing bridges, we arrive at Littleborough & Yippee! encounter the first boats we've seen since Manchester!  Lucky to get a mooring & one end is tied to a street sign but who cares! 

 

 

Quick trip to the Co-op then a bit of fishing & snapping ensues before dinner.